Early speculation is that we'll need to trade Lee + Thompson + future picks. I don't like it if we have to deal Klay, but if we can find a way to get them to take Barnes (plus...?) instead, I'd like it.

Yeah, if for no other reason other than this solidifies that we've finally shook the stank of being an undesirable destination for highly-sought after players - particularly after landing Kerr over the Knicks.

I'm with you. I understand you need to give up some talent to get a guy of this caliber, but swapping Klay and Lee for Love makes us a worse team. Love isn't much better on D than Lee, and we lose a premier defender in Klay - it would feel like we're going in the wrong direction - Love's offense alone cannot make up the difference.

If we don't land Love, you got to think that we'll part ways with Lee no matter what. The dude has been shopped around so much the past couple of seasons. I used to believe he does make us a better team, but after the way Green showed up, I want him gone. We could land some nice role players in a Lee deal.

I think an important question here is, what do you guys think the other teams in the hunt for Love (Suns & Lakers, not counting Celtics because he said no losers) would be willing to give up for him?

uptempo wrote:The Warriors should offer Lee and Bogut for Love, which would allow for us to jettison two "useless-in-the-playoffs" players for a star power forward.

Festus is much better suited for the spread the floor offense that Kerr is likely to install than Mr. MIA Bogut anyway.

In trades, the team which lands the star always wins. Let's see if Myers can pull this one off.

Go Warriors!

That's crazy talk. Why offer Bogut and Lee right off the bat when you can offer Lee and Barnes? Do you realize what you are saying? 2 useless in the playoffs players? The Warriors beat Denver in the playoffs last year mainly because of Bogut. Love on the other hand has never even played in the playoffs.

You said the team that lands the star always wins. Well first of all, Minnesota landed Love and they have never made the playoffs, and secondly, what about the time Denver traded away Iverson or Melo? They only got better and Detroit got worse when they got Iverson. You clearly are not making much sense here.

uptempo wrote:The Warriors should offer Lee and Bogut for Love, which would allow for us to jettison two "useless-in-the-playoffs" players for a star power forward.

Festus is much better suited for the spread the floor offense that Kerr is likely to install than Mr. MIA Bogut anyway.

In trades, the team which lands the star always wins. Let's see if Myers can pull this one off.

Go Warriors!

That is crazy talk. It is no coincidence that the Warriors became one of the top teams with the arrival of Bogut. He played 67 games this season. The only problem was that he missed the playoffs but that can happen to anyone. You can't have a big man that plays tough defence, blocks shots and takes charges and then complain when he gets a broken rib from hard contact. Maybe you'd prefer someone who avoids contact in the paint like Charlie Villanueva, Channing Frye or Andrea Bargnani.

Ezeli will be a good backup but "much better suited for the spread the floor offense"??? Are you serious? Bogut is one of the best passing centres in the NBA. Ezeli has hands like feet.

uptempo wrote:The Warriors should offer Lee and Bogut for Love, which would allow for us to jettison two "useless-in-the-playoffs" players for a star power forward.

Festus is much better suited for the spread the floor offense that Kerr is likely to install than Mr. MIA Bogut anyway.

In trades, the team which lands the star always wins. Let's see if Myers can pull this one off.

Go Warriors!

That's crazy talk. Why offer Bogut and Lee right off the bat when you can offer Lee and Barnes? Do you realize what you are saying? 2 useless in the playoffs players? The Warriors beat Denver in the playoffs last year mainly because of Bogut. Love on the other hand has never even played in the playoffs.

You said the team that lands the star always wins. Well first of all, Minnesota landed Love and they have never made the playoffs, and secondly, what about the time Denver traded away Iverson or Melo? They only got better and Detroit got worse when they got Iverson. You clearly are not making much sense here.

I'm gonna say no to Green & Lee for one simple reason. Love has never managed to sniff the playoffs. He can put up stats. Can he do that on a winning team while playing team basketball? We don't know cuz he's not proven. Keep in mind Garnett took his T' Wolves to the playoffs many times.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Throughout most of last season, Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders and owner Glen Taylor remained steadfast in their stance that they would not consider trading Kevin Love.

They were determined instead to convince the All-Star forward that he should sign an extension to remain after next season.

With the NBA draft lottery coming up this week and an increasing concern that Love will leave for another team after next year, that stance has softened, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

The Timberwolves are now open to the idea of trading Love if the right deal comes along.

The people requested anonymity because the team has not made any final decisions on Love's future in Minnesota. A likely asking price would include a high first-round pick in this year's draft and a solid veteran or two who would come in and contribute right away to a team that is lacking in veteran leadership.

If the Wolves do not get an offer they feel is worthy of parting with the second-best player in franchise history, they are content to move forward with a plan to show Love that Minnesota is where he belongs, much the way the Portland Trail Blazers did with LaMarcus Aldridge last offseason.

Love just finished the second year of a four-year deal that includes an option for him to opt-out in the summer of 2015.

The contract terms were the first signs of strife for Love and the organization when former basketball boss David Kahn declined to give him the full five-year maximum deal that Love wanted.

Kahn was fired in 2013 and Saunders has worked tirelessly to try to convince Love that he should stay in Minnesota where he can make about $26.5 million more than he can anywhere else.

But the Wolves have not made the playoffs in 10 years, including all six of Love's seasons with the team, a lack of success that has one of the best power forwards in the game growing more and more impatient.

Neither Love nor his representatives have gone so far as to ask for a trade, but as the NBA draft lottery approaches on Tuesday, the trade market figures to heat up.

The Timberwolves are slotted to pick 13th in the first round.

But they are holding out hope that they get lucky for the first time in franchise history in the lottery and jump up. Getting one of the top three picks in a strong draft could be an encouraging sign for Love.

If that doesn't happen, the Wolves could look at making a trade if they felt it had a chance to make them better in the long run.

Love has made three All-Star teams and helped Team USA win the gold medal at the London Olympics. He averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists last season, but the Wolves finished a disappointing 40-42 and missed the playoffs in the Western Conference.

While there remains some question whether Love can be the best player on a championship-caliber team, there figures to be a long list of suitors to line up for his services via trade this summer or free agency next year.

But Love would likely have to give any team that makes the Wolves an offer some kind of indication that he is open to signing an extension, much the way Chris Paul did when he was dealt from New Orleans to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2011.

The uncertainty surrounding Love has also complicated the Wolves' pursuit of a coach to replace Rick Adelman, who retired after the season.

Saunders has been in the market for a proven, experienced head coach who can come and command respect right away while also handling what most assuredly would be a difficult season filled with constant questions about Love's status.

Not surprisingly, most of the names near the top of Saunders' list have been reluctant to entertain the idea of taking the job without knowing what is going to happen with Love. Some luck on lottery night could also make the job more attractive for an incoming coach.

In the absence of any long-shot lottery luck, the Wolves will ramp up their coaching search after their draft position solidifies on Tuesday night.

Names such as Lionel Hollins, Sam Mitchell and Scott Skiles will all get consideration. And return runs at Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Florida's Billy Donovan or Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg aren't out of the question after all three gave them a tepid response early in the process.

I've been saying for over two years that we could get Love and here it it, confirmation that it might happen. He is a great fit here but as always, the team trading the star is in the weak position and we need not trade any other player from the starters except Lee. Lee, Barnes, Speights and future 1st rounder for Love and KMartin, who they apparently want gone and has three years left on a contract that pays about 7.5 million a year. I'd do that trade, we improve and they get two players that will start for them straight away and one that would be their best backup big.

Klay is a keeper, but I would do Lee, Iguodala and Barnes for Love, KMartin and Mbah a Moute, another one they want gone because of salary and length of contract. Iguodala has been good for us but he is regressing and getting paid alot of money, not quite producing up to that amount. Green could start at SF for us and we could use either the TE or MLE to get a backup SG or SF.

Stairway Man wrote:I'm gonna say no to Green & Lee for one simple reason. Love has never managed to sniff the playoffs. He can put up stats. Can he do that on a winning team while playing team basketball? We don't know cuz he's not proven. Keep in mind Garnett took his T' Wolves to the playoffs many times.

Well, Garnett was a much more complete player. A truly great defensive player. We can not expect him to be Garnett. He just doesn't have the lateral mobility to play like that.

I think it's a little unfair to knock him for never having made the playoffs. I mean look at the teams he's been on. He's been the only good player on all those teams. His teammates are all average to mediocre. This is why he's not going to re-sign.

Don't have a problem trading Lee, or Barnes, but yeah I'd hate to see Klay or Draymond go.

Stairway Man wrote:I'm gonna say no to Green & Lee for one simple reason. Love has never managed to sniff the playoffs. He can put up stats. Can he do that on a winning team while playing team basketball? We don't know cuz he's not proven. Keep in mind Garnett took his T' Wolves to the playoffs many times.

Well, Garnett was a much more complete player. A truly great defensive player. We can not expect him to be Garnett. He just doesn't have the lateral mobility to play like that.

I think it's a little unfair to knock him for never having made the playoffs. I mean look at the teams he's been on. He's been the only good player on all those teams. His teammates are all average to mediocre. This is why he's not going to re-sign.

Don't have a problem trading Lee, or Barnes, but yeah I'd hate to see Klay or Draymond go.

He can't be any worse defensively than Lee. Or is he?

J1000, good post.

With Kevin Love, the Warriors could have a player, with his 3-point shot and superior passing skills, who will fit in much better in a spread-the-floor offense than a David Lee. With Kevin Love, the Warriors could have a player who can start the fast break, with his defensive rebounding and great outlet passing skils, better than anyone that the team currently has on its roster. With Kevin Love, the Warriors could have a player who will not allow a Blake Griffin or any other power forward to easily just establish position on the low block. If Bob Myers can pull the trigger on getting Kevin Love onto the Warriors, he will improve the team's chances to improve.

Love is certainly not Garnett, but he is near flawless as a player gets offensively and will make others around him better. Defensively, he gives little and he'd have to improve by getting tutelage from Bogut and Iguodala if he doesn't go in the trade for him. He won't stop other great PFs from scoring but will score on them himself, likely more than they score on him.